COOPERATIVE AGRICULTURE IN FLORIDA


their files, show the following amounts as representing
farmers' investment interest in marketing and purchas-
ing associations:


 Jan. 1, 1940 Jan. 147 J 1, 17 J 1, 1954
"Markcting Associations S256,000,000) S513,010,000 $S1.100,00,000
Purchasing Association, 74,000.000 296,000,000 555,000,00
Service Associations 9,800,000
 TOTALS 330,000,00() 809.000,000 S1.664,800,000


'Statistlls Of ialmers' Marketing, Puihriiasinig and Service Cuoou[prtives,
1951-52 by Anne Gc lsni. Fiannerr Cioupli.ativ Scvice, U. S. Dep'rtncent
of Agilliire.

 As indicated above, net worth figures from the U. S.
Department of Agriculture represent farmers' interests
in cooperative associations. Total volume of business for
1952 amounted to a gross value of $12,132,097,000. They
represented a farm cooperative movement which has
grown to consist of 10,166 marketing, purchasing and
service associations doing more than 12 billion dollars
worth of business a year, according to the Farmer Co-
operative Service. Officials of the U. S. Department of
Agriculture say that "Cooperatives are the people's bestrf
protection against monopoly control of business."
 In addition to its many cooperatives, Florida has de-
veloped a unique agency for marketing farm products.
It has 21 State Farmers' Markets. These were built
cooperatively by the state and the citizens of the com-
munities where they are located They furnish places
where farmers and buyers meet and trade directly. Dif-
ferent details are followed in different parts of the state
to meet conditions. The markets are owned and managed
by the state but policy making is left largely to local
advisory committees of farmers. Enough charges are
made to meet all overhead expenses, so the markets will
not be an incumbrance on the state. All buyers must